Can closing machine



Oct. 29, 1957 T. J. BINETTE CAN CLOSING MACHINE' 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed March 5*, 1954 @i LMP ,i i

gz-'ml f8 wim@ www /6 5@ 7g y@ f2 INVENTOR W ATTORNEY Oct. 29, 1957 T. J. BINET-rE '2,811,125

CAN CLOSING MAcHlNE Filed March 5, 1954 2 sheetssheet 2 i l z i a a a f ulm'ullulll INVENTOR ATTORNEY Fig. 1.

CAN CLOSING MACHINE Thomas John Binette, Burlington, Vt., assignor to F. H. Wessner Inc., Burlington, Vt., a corporation of New York Application March 5, 1954, Serial No. 414,288

1 Claim. (Cl. 113-18) This invention refers to yan improvement in can closing devices and particularly to a paint can sealer for use in applying the lids to friction top or similar cans. Although power driven mechanisms have been devised for closing cans these are not satisfactory for use in certain operations, or where special small lots, for example, might be processed. Accordingly an object of this invention is to provide a hand operated paint can closer.

A further object of this invention is to provide a paint can closer which is of light weight and therefore can be easily carried or moved from can to can by a mechanic. Obviously this is of importance to both the one using the sealer and his employer.

In closing a can of paint, for example, it is necessary to force the depending circular ring or lip on the cover down into the cooperating groove in the top of the can. In order to do this properly the tool must have a ring shaped portion adapted to cooperate with the ring in the cover and adapted to be received therein. With such a ring shaped engagement of the closing machine, with the cover, pressure can be exerted directly into the cover ring and the cooperating ring on the can proper. By exerting pressure through the can ring against the can body the cover ring will be pressed down into the body until a thorough sealed engagement between the cover and can body is obtained. With a ring shaped construction on the tool which must be engaged in the ring on the cover there is the problem of aligning the two rings. Obviously the can will not be sealed properly if the closing machine ring or lip does not seat in its correct position in the cover. If no special provisions were made it would undoubtedly be necessary for the user of the tool or machine to visually align the tool on each of the cans to be sealed. This would be a waste of time. Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a can closer which is self-centering, that is, with which the depending lip on the sealing mechanism will engage in the lip on the cover automatically without thought or adjustment on the part of the operator.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a can closing machine which is of simple construction, which comprises relatively few moving parts and in which there is little likelihood for the parts getting out of adjustment.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a can closer constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device of Fig. l showing the initial step in applying a cover to a can.

Figure 3 is a Side elevational view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the elements in different relative positions.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4 4 of United States Patent ice 2,811,125 Patented Oct. 29, 1957 views indi The latter comprises a generally circular base 12Y and a depending ring-like lip 14 adjacent'the outer perimeter of base 12. Vertical legs 16 and 18 extend upward from base 12. Lateral stiffening anges 20, 22 and 24 interconnect base 12 'and legs 16, 18. Legs 16, 18 are thickened at 26 and 28 to provide bosses. Leg 16 has openings 26 and 28 and leg 18 is pierced at 30 and 32. Shaft 34 extends betweenand through opposed openings 26 and 30 and a Asecond shaft 36-extends through opposed openings 28 and 32. Through means of cotter pins these shafts may be fixed in the described positions. Handle 38 is pivotally connected to shaft 34 and handle 40 is pivotally connected to shaft 3,6. It is seen that handles 38 and 40 are positioned parallel to and substantially centrally of legs 16 and 18. Knobs 42 and 44 are mounted on each handle to facilitate operation and carrying of the device. v

Reference characters 50 and 52 indicate `a pair of opposed can body engaging elements. These are adapted to engage the sides of the can as indicated in Fig. 2 While the base 12 is adapted to engage the cover. The elements comprise lower inwardly extending lcircular anges 54 and 56. Vertically extending legs 58 and 60 extend upwardly from circular anges 54 and 56 and terminate in horizontally extending legs 62v and 64 which extend parallel to flanges 54 and 56 respectively and parallel to base 12. At their inner ends elements 50 and 52 are bifurcated and provided with bosses 66,68 and 70, 72. The inner ends of `the operating handles 38 and 40 project between the bifurcated portions of the members 50 and 52 respectively. Shafts V74 and 76 are secured in bosses' 66,68 and 70, 72, and are rotatably connected to the operating handles 38and 40 From Figs. Zand 3 it is seen that the handles are-connected to the shafts 34, 74 and 36, 76 in such a manner that when the shafts are raised as in Fig. 2, elements 50 and 52 are spread upwardly of the member 10, and member 10 is raised relatively to elements 50 and 52. When the components are moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 members 58 and 60 have moved inwardly with respect to member 10, and member 10 is moved downwardly with respect to members 58 and 60.

In Fig. 2 the components of the closer are shown in the relative positions assumed as the closer is applied to a can. The can comprises a body 80, a cover 82 and grooves or rings in the cover and body which are adapted to be interlocked to close the can. The groove in the body is indicated at 84 and the ring in the cover is indicated at 86. Prior to placing the closing machine over the can the cover is placed on the can. As seen in Fig. 2 often the can itself is offset with respect to the closing machine. The extreme amount of offset is shown in Fig. 2 in which flange 56 of the ring body engaging element abuts the side of the can in its extreme outward position with respect to the member 10. None the less the sealer can be operated immediately upon being placed in contact with the can even with the extreme misalinement illustrated in Fig. 2. The closing machine is supported by the can during the closing operation. The' shafts 34 and 36. Since element 52 is already in engagement with the side of the can, member 10 will move to the right as viewed in Fig. 2. This, of course, brings member 50 towards the right, and the rotation of han `,dle 38 Vdownwardly moves with respect to element 10. When the cover depresshandles.

Vsume the position illustrated in Fig. 3.

member 50 towards the right ing member rests on cover 82 and the handles are moved members 50 and 52 are moved upwardly with ,respect to member '10. This occursgsince the pivotal movement of the sets of bosses, asthey .continue to roltate-about shaftsV 34 and l36, causes the bosses to move upwardly with respect to the latter shafts.

As fboth .members 50 and 52 come into frictional :con-

-tact with the can, `cover depressing member 10 will ,then

move downwardly and force the 'cover into closed engagement with the :can-body. The cooperating rings on the Acover `depressing member and the cover vhave been automatically alined by rotation of the operating As the handles rotate :and members 50 and S2 .are moved laterally of the can, the cover depressing ,member .10 moves to a ,position centrally of the memrbers 50 and 52. @The cover depressing `member 10 becomes yalinedv with the cover `prior to the time that the members A50 and 52 will Ysecurely grasp the sides of the can. The lip 14 is designed so that there is ample clearance Vto facilitate engagement Vand removal from vthe cooperating ring inthe cover.

The lip 14 moves into the cover ring when the members 50 and 52 are both closely adjacent the sides of the can. The movement vof the various elements is actually simultaneous and at least `-one of the `members k50 or 52 may be moving inwardly as the cover depressing member 10 alines with the cover and drops into the cover ring and also mem- -bers 50 and 52 may be moving upwardly at that time.

Gbviously the movement of the members will vary in accordance with the origina-l positioning of the closing machine with respect to 'the cover and body of a can to be closed. However, .no matter what position the closple in construction, which can be operatedwith almost no thought on the part of the operator, and which will require little repair and maintenance. There is little likelihood of damage to the shafts and bosses due to the fact that they are enclosed within legs 16 and 18.

While a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described it will `be understood that variations in details of form maybe made without departure from the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Itclairn: A-

A can closing machine for attaching covers to -cans comprising a pair of elements adapted to grip a side of a can, each of said elements comprising a boss at one end, a horizontally extending leg connected to lsaid boss, a flange extending parallel torsaid horizontal leg and spaced verticallyhdownwardly therefrom, a connecting member connected between said flange and said leg, the bosses of each of said legs being positioned in a common horizontal plane adjacent each other with said flanges in facing relationship, a irst shaft, a handle connected to said rst shaft, said rst shaft being received in the :boss on one of said elements, a second shaft, a second handle connected -to said second shaft, said second shaft being received in the boss on the other of said elements, a .third shaft extending through each of said handles, each of the third shafts being spaced outwardly and yupwardly of one of said bosses, Vsaid third shafts each extending parallel tothe first mentioned shafts, a can top depressing member comprising a base received between'the irst mentioned legs and the anges of each of said elements and extending 'parallel thereto, a pair of References `Citt-.d in the file of this patent .UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,669,200 Hill May 8, 1928 1,689,815 Bunker Oct. 30, 1928 

